Researchers predict that as Florida’s diverse population grows, so, too, will the state’s Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).
That is one of the key findings outlined in the new report “Even More Potential to Serve: Florida’s Minority Serving Institutions” from the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) at the University of Pennsylvania. The report is a comprehensive analysis of longitudinal data on enrollment, financial indicators, student financial aid and institutional completion measures at Florida’s MSIs.
In addition, CMSI’s report, authored by Dr. William Casey Boland, an assistant professor at Baruch College, listed several recommendations for MSIs and Florida policymakers: reconsider approaches to college affordability, student support and outcomes, institutional resources and elevating MSI success stories.
“It seems like not enough attention is paid to Florida higher education, especially its institutions serving the majority of students of color in the state,” Boland said. “Florida is very organized in how it approaches its public higher education systems.”
Although there are four historically Black institutions in Florida, most of the state’s MSIs are Hispanic Serving Institutions. Report findings show that MSIs compromise nearly 25 percent of the Florida College System, 25 percent of the State University System and 29 percent of private not-for-profit colleges and universities.
The report findings illustrate that enrollment at MSIs has slightly declined from 501,206 students in 2010 to 482,869 students in 2016. While these institutions saw enrollment declines for African-American students (-10 percent) and White students (-21 percent), Latino/a student enrollment increased 10% and non-resident alien student enrollment increased 55 percent between 2010 and 2016.
Overall demographic compositions at Florida’s MSIs indicate that, as of 2016, Latino/a and White students made up the majority of all students enrolled.
